Hernia Surgery Article

Sports Hernia

In the lower abdominal wall, when there is a weakening of its muscles or tendons, then it is called a sports hernia. This is the same region where an inguinal hernia develops. This is known as the inguinal canal. It is the part of the power abdomen that is just above the groin. In a sports hernia, although there is the same weakening in the abdominal wall muscles, the hernia cannot really be felt. The spermatic cord(males) travels within the inguinal canal. In women the round ligament travels within the canal. This particular are of the abdomen is prone to weakening and, therefore, a hernia may form. In a sports hernia, one gets it where the muscle wall of the abdomen is too thin.

Symptoms

When one develops a sports hernia, it begins with the slow onset of aching pain which is located in the lower abdominal area. The following symptoms may be present:

Pain in the lower abdomen Groin pain In males, pain in the testicle

The symptoms are usually made worse with activities such as running, bending forward and cutting. Their symptoms may also increase when they cough or sneeze. Sports hernias are often found in hockey, football, and soccer players and in other players that have to play in a bent over position. Unfortunately, there are no specific diagnostic tests that are used to detect sports hernias. The diagnosis is usually made by the examination of the patient as well as the patient's history. Your doctor may have other tests performed to find out if there are any other causes of groin pain other than that of a sports hernia.

Treatment

Other than surgery, there have been no other methods of treatment that seem to work for a sports hernia. At first, the treatment is always conservative with the hope that the hernia problem will resolve on its own. The use of anti-inflammatory medications, resting from strenuous activity, ice treaments and physical therapy can all be used to see whether it will help to ease the patient's symptoms.

If these methods do not reduce the pain felt by a person with a sports hernia, then surgery may be necessary to repair the hernia. It has been shown that between 65% and 90% of all athletes with sports hernia repairs have been able to return to their regular activities. Rehabilitation from this type of surgery typically takes about eight weeks.